Vaccinating your kitten
A vaccinated kitten is a healthy kitten
Your new kitten will start life with some natural immunity
from diseases from her mum, but as this wears off you'll need
to have her vaccinated to keep her healthy.
Vaccinating your kitten is absolutely essential as it will
protect her from life-threatening diseases. Most vets recommend
a combined vaccine, given at around 8-9 and 11-12 weeks of age.
This will protect your kitten against the 'big three:'
- Feline Leukaemia Virus
- Feline Infectious Enteritis (also called Panleucopenia or
Feline Parovirus)
- Cat 'flu'
The exact timing of the injections will depend on the type
of vaccine your vet uses. As a general rule, though, you can
expect the two injections to be given at around 8 and 12 weeks
of age.
After the second injection, it's important to keep your
kitten indoors and away from other cats. After that,
socialising can safely go back to the top of the
agenda!
There are a few other vaccinations that may be worth
considering for your kitten. These are to protect against:
- Chlamydia
- Rabies
- Bordetella
A number of factors determine whether these additional
vaccinations are a good idea for your particular kitten and
your vet is the best person to advise you.
Making vaccination day easier
Nobody loves needles, and cats are no exception. Be assured,
though, that you are doing the very best for your young cat by
having her vaccinated. In fact, not vaccinating could cost her
her life.
Hopefully you'll already have taken her to the vet for
routine health checks so she'll be used to going there. A
sturdy and secure
cat carrier is the best way to transport her,
and a familiar blanket or toy with her smell on it will make
her feel more at home.
Try to allow plenty of time to get to the vet's so you're
not in any rush. Above all, be as calm as possible. Cats are
sensitive and soon pick up on any 'stress signals'.
Once at the vet's, make sure you keep your cat in her basket
until you are called to the consulting room, with the door
securely shut. Talk to her, and reassure her throughout the
entire visit.
Maintaining immunity
To maintain your cat's immunity, regular booster shots will
be required throughout her life. Your vet will probably send
you out reminders but it's not a bad idea to keep a record
yourself.
Vaccination Certificates
Once your cat has had her primary course of vaccinations,
you'll be given a signed certificate by your vet. This is an
important document that you should keep in a safe place. If you
ever wanted to put your cat in a cattery, for example, they'd
need to see certificates to check all her vaccinations are up
to date.
Should you insure your kitten?
Generally speaking, insuring your kitten is a good idea.
With any luck, you'll never have to make a claim, but should
your cat become ill or have an accident, she'll be able to
receive treatment without you worrying about the cost. And
compared to what you might have to spend on vet's bills,
monthly insurance premiums represent very good value.
Of all the many insurance providers out there, it's
important to choose a policy that gives lifetime cover; some
insurers only provide cover for a certain number of years. It's
when your cat becomes older that the need for care and
treatment increases, and that's when you'll appreciate the
safety net of insurance the most.
As with all insuranceundefined, always read the 'small
print' before you sign anything